Political hopefuls get backing from readers: 11/2

Victoria Perotti for Amenia supervisor

Thank you to all the voters and campaign supporters who helped me win the Republican primary for Town of Amenia supervisor. We are not done yet. Now we must move on to the general election on Tuesday, where I will need your votes and support in order to restore transparency, honesty, integrity and respect to Amenia town government.

My goals are to see the Silo Ridge and "trail to trail" to the train projects to completion for job creation and economic development, pursue shared services opportunities, create a capital plan, including grants and incentives for Amenia Town Hall energy upgrades and highway garage construction and keep taxes low by reducing costs and renegotiating contracts.

My 25-year experience in health administration management, working in business environments, Marist College business administration education and two 4-year terms on the Town Board, with four years as deputy supervisor, provide me with the knowledge to run Amenia business. I would appreciate your vote on Tuesday for the opportunity to take our community into the future.

Victoria Perotti

Amenia

Ringwood-Wood cares for 5th Ward

Many recent letters to this column have been submitted by individuals expressing disappointment and a lack of faith in the City of Poughkeepsie. What is particularly upsetting are comments from former residents who no longer have a stake in the city and do no more than make negative, disparaging observations.

Residents need to step forward and share responsibility working with, and for, their neighbors, fellow city residents and local government to guide civic and community leadership in a positive direction.

A councilperson should strive to create and nurture the best traditional sense of neighborhood neighbors helping neighbors and to establish a unity of community that extends to the city as a whole.

For the 5th Ward in the City of Poughkeepsie, I feel the best person to serve as councilperson for all its residents is Kathleen Ringwood-Wood.

She's a proud City of Poughkeepsie native with a long local family history. She was educated in city schools, raised in the same neighborhood in which she now resides and where she and her husband (another city native) chose to raise their family. Kathleen Ringwood-Wood truly believes in her neighbors and neighborhood and is dedicated to working with other council members to make the whole City of Poughkeepsie the best place to live, work and play.

As a former city resident and homeowner who's still proud to call Poughkeepsie his hometown, I ask residents to support Kathleen in her inaugural run for 5th Ward councilperson in the City of Poughkeepsie.

David Ringwood

Wappingers Falls

Vote Tuttle, Knips for Fishkill board

As a resident of Fishkill living in Beacon Hills, I encourage Fishkill residents to support Tim Tuttle and Tom Knips in their candidacy for Town Board.

Tom, a resident of Fishkill for 32 years and registered Conservative, chaired the planning board for seven of the 17 years he served as a member and has previously served on the town board. His professional background includes management and capital planning experience as a licensed New York state engineer. He brings expertise to the board to address Fishkill's infrastructure, services and resource issues through solid fiscal management practices.

Tim, a fourth generation Hudson Valley native, practicing attorney and registered Democrat, has served all town citizens since winning special election to the town board in 2012. He's dedicated to making our community a fiscally sound, well-managed place to locate and live for families and businesses.

In recent meetings with community residents, they've been asked about their views on the town budget and our taxes, zoning and drainage issues, aging infrastructure challenges, conservation and business development plans. Both offered competent solutions and perspectives to move us forward thoughtfully and effectively. Our concerns are their concerns.

They bring their professional and personal knowledge and experience to benefit all the citizens of the town of Fishkill. They've proven their commitment to working across party lines to get things done, believe in transparency and bipartisanship and will continue to work for the good of our town.

Please vote on Nov. 5 for Tim Tuttle and Tom Knips.

Suzanne Timmer

Fishkill

Support 'Team Hyde Park' achievements

I have served as an election inspector in the Town of Hyde Park for more than 35 years. While I recently decided not to continue doing so, I would like to advise voters to not be complacent. It is vitally important for everyone to exercise the right to vote in order to have representation in government.

Having said that, I hope that all citizens of Hyde Park who have been happy to see our town return to responsible, reasonable and competent governing under the current administration will get to the polls on Nov. 5 to support "Team Hyde Park." While it may be easy to sit back and think "well, of course they'll be re-elected," take it from someone who has observed voters for many years, the opposition always comes out to vote. Don't assume that anyone will be re-elected just because you think they should be - you need to actually get out there and vote for them. Let's keep our town functioning at this high level of achievement that has taken us from being an embarrassment to a role model for town government.

Aileen Rohr, Emily Svenson and Ken Schneider have been intelligent, forward thinking and community-minded public servants, and I support their re-election wholeheartedly. I know that these incumbents will continue to serve us well, and will be valuable assets to the new candidates of Team Hyde Park. Experience counts, and integrity counts even more.

Pat Sheehan

Hyde Park

Elect Alyssa Kogon Clinton supervisor

I am writing this letter to endorse Alyssa Kogon for supervisor of the Town of Clinton. Alyssa was a parent of two of my students while I was teaching at Rhinebeck High School and I've also known her as a fellow board member of E4 Organization Inc., a nonprofit organization providing music and art programs to adults with disabilities in the Hudson Valley.

I applaud Alyssa for running for public office because I believe she will represent her constituency with honesty and fairness, both of which are a rarity in politicians these days. She's an avid listener and will act on any issue that is in the best interest of her community. What greater attribute could you wish for in an elected official?

Jack Shackleton

secretary, E4 Organization, Inc.

Poughkeepsie

Elect Auchmoody as Lloyd highway boss

I hope each and every person who is eligible to vote will do so. I am voting for Lenny Auchmoody for Town of Lloyd highway superintendent because I think he will do a good job for our community. I have known Lenny for more than 50 years. He's like a third son to me. He'll lend a helping hand to anyone who asks. Please return his generosity to our town by casting your vote for him on Nov. 5.

Gerry Simone

Highland

Rhinebeck Dems are qualified to serve

This week I received campaign mailers from the Republican and Democratic slates. What I read on the Republican flier was so offensive that it prompted me to write my first letter to the editor. What angered me was not simply that the Republican campaign points were devoid of any specific policy position or credible suggestions on improving government in Rhinebeck, but that each candidate's list of qualifications for being an elected official highlighted that they were born in Rhinebeck.

Being born and raised in Rhinebeck isn't a substitute for experience and good service. The exclusionary note and implication that "if you weren't born here, there's something wrong with you" tone is unacceptable. If that were the criterion for being a good elected official, we wouldn't have benefited from Republican Town Board member Bruce Washburn, nor town Highway Supervisor Kathy Kinsella, a Democrat who has performed so effectively that she's running unopposed.

In contrast, the Democratic flier states why we need to vigorously support Elizabeth Spinzia for town supervisor, re-elect Joe Gelb for Town Board and elect Elaine Fernandez as a new board member.

Elizabeth Spinzia and Joe Gelb have logged thousands of hours at Town Hall, saved the town more than $100,000 and worked toward innovative thinking in land use and development, among other achievements. Elaine Fernandez is an experienced policy analyst who'll assist the town in working at the state level.

Please vote for people who will be effective and have proven track record in public service and don't ask where they were born.

Monique Segarra

Rhinebeck

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Political hopefuls get backing from readers: 11/2

Thank you to all the voters and campaign supporters who helped me win the Republican primary for Town of Amenia supervisor. We are not done yet.